stars, sex and nudity buzz : 12/21/2012

With the intense popularity of HBO's Game of Thrones, it was just a matter of time before someone tried to take advantage of it. That "someone" turns out to be the History Channel. They're preparing their own version, which is called Vikings. Obviously there are some differences between the shows. They have a different time in history and also a different location. Still, the two shows' similarities can't be ignored.

History Channel is purposely firing a shot over HBO's bow. Their new show is set to premier on the same day as Game of Thrones - 3.3.13. Of course that's assuming the world doesn't come to an end December 21st, 2012. The move is a risky one, especially if the new drama doesn't pan out.

Led by actor Gabriel Byrne, the new History led drama doesn't even try to mask of it's imitating the George R.R. Martin books at the center of their competitor's series. They're even using a catchphrase similar to one used in those novels.

Vikings seems to prove that nothing in TV today is really new. It's either a reimagination of something old or a blatant copy of something already in place and working. Sadly, television networks are notorious for copying one another, with varying degrees of success.

Here's hoping the two dramas don't try to out do one another when it comes to violence and blood. Games of Thrones has enough of that for 10 shows already. The same thing, or worse, isn't needed on mainstream TV.

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U.S. Olympian's Secret Life As Las Vegas Escort

Suzy Favor Hamilton worked as high-priced call girl for past year

DECEMBER 20---A three-time U.S. Olympian whose illustrious running career has included a Nike TV commercial, a swimsuit calendar, and ongoing promotional work for Disney has spent the last year doubling as a $600-an-hour call girl, an astounding secret life that she now regretfully calls a “huge mistake.”Beginning last December, Suzy Favor Hamilton, 44, has worked with one of Las Vegas’s premier escort services, booking scores of “dates” in Sin City and other U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston.While Favor Hamilton (seen at right) has used an alias, “Kelly Lundy,” when working as an escort, she inexplicably shared her true identity with several male clients, believing that her secret was somehow safe with strangers who paid for her company by leaving envelopes stuffed with cash on bathroom vanities in swanky hotels.When approached by a reporter earlier this month in the lobby of a Las Vegas hotel, Favor Hamilton initially denied any connection with the escort service, Haley Heston’s Private Collection. But Favor Hamilton--who is married to her college sweetheart, a lawyer, and is the mother of a seven-year-old girl--eventually acknowledged her work as “Kelly.”“I take full responsibility for my mistakes. I’m not the victim and I’m not going that route,” Favor Hamilton said. “I’m owning up to what I did. I would not blame anybody except myself.” She added, “Everybody in this world makes mistakes. I made a huge mistake. Huge.”Favor Hamilton expressed concern that her story would be “sensationalized” by a reporter. It is hard, though, to imagine how that could occur. The actual events of the ex-Olympian's past year already seem like the fever dreams of a Lifetime producer who decided to adapt Luis Bunuel’s “Belle de Jour” for basic cable.Favor Hamilton described the escort business as “exciting,” an illicit midlife diversion from her routine existence, one in which she operates a successful Madison, Wisconsin real estate brokerage with her husband, delivers motivational speeches, and does promotional work for various businesses and groups, including Disney’s running series and Wisconsin’s Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.She said that only her husband Mark, 44, was aware of her escort work, but that, “He tried, he tried to get me to stop. He wasn’t supportive of this at all.” The couple lives in a $600,000 Madison home and appears to be in no financial distress based on a review of court and municipal records.In a July 2012 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profile, Favor Hamilton spoke of giving about 60 motivational speeches annually, raising her daughter, running her realty firm, and doing appearances for Disney and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series. “I just know I’m happier than I’ve ever been. My life just keeps getting better,” she said.But she also spoke of her life’s darker precincts.Favor Hamilton told of suffering postpartum depression after her child’s 2005 birth and how she had been prescribed the antidepressant Zoloft, which has allowed her to “feel better than I’ve ever felt.” Additionally, she told reporter Gary D’Amato how her brother Dan committed suicide in 1999, a year before she ran for the gold medal in the 1500-meter final at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium. She led that race with 200 meters to go, but when other competitors began to pass her, Favor Hamilton recalled, she intentionally tumbled to the track, ashamed that she could not medal in honor of her late sibling.Sitting on an outdoor bench off the Las Vegas Strip earlier this month, Favor Hamilton referenced her athletic career when a reporter asked why she thought her identity could remain cloaked--especially since she spoke openly with certain johns about her real name, running career, and business pursuits.Favor Hamilton answered that as a world-class athlete she was conditioned to believe she was invincible, and that doubts and concerns were counterproductive thoughts. During a subsequent conversation she brought up Tiger Woods’s tumultuous fall, saying that, “I mean, he’s the biggest athlete ever. He obviously thought he could never get caught.”Favor Hamilton also blamed herself for being “too trusting.” She expected other participants in the insular escort business--where men seeking sex are called “hobbyists” and women selling it are “providers”--to honor a code of silence. Though she seemed entirely sincere, it was nonetheless a credulous notion that client and escort were morally bound by some implicit pledge of omerta.Why would her secret be safe with guys about whom she knew nothing (except that many were paying for sex while their spouse was back home)?These johns slept with an attractive former Olympian, an All-American girl with a Wikipedia page and a Nike commercial on YouTube. How could they not boast about their costly Las Vegas escapades? A Google search by any of these “hobbyists” would have quickly established Favor Hamilton’s status as a public figure as well as her athletic bona fides.As a middle distance runner, Favor Hamilton competed (but did not medal) at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics. Her collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin was so dominating--she is the most decorated female athlete in NCAA track and field history--that the Big Ten Conference’s female athlete of the year award was named after her (the male equivalent honors Jesse Owens). The winner of multiple national championships, NCAA titles, and All-American awards, Favor Hamilton has appeared in national ads for Nike, Reebok, Clairol, Oakley, and Pert Plus shampoo. A 1997 swimsuit calendar included shots of the lithe athlete modeling a stars-and-stripes bikini and lounging on the sand sans top.Referring to a client she suspected of contacting a reporter, Favor Hamilton said, “He totally broke all the rules by outing me.” But she stressed that returning fire was not her style. “I don’t want to be like him. Because he is scum. And I will not become scum to make myself feel good,” Favor Hamilton said. “I will not do it. I would suffer rather than go that route of being vindictive.”When a reporter expressed disbelief that Favor Hamilton--a college graduate who has traveled the world, competed at track and field’s highest levels, struck endorsement deals, and built a successful legitimate business--could be so naïve, she answered, “I can’t expect you to understand, you aren’t in that world.”She gave a similar reply when asked if she ever feared for her safety since she met clients unaccompanied by security. “Again, you don’t know this world. You’re making judgments on what you see on television or what you perceive,” she said.Favor Hamilton said that she had been planning to quit the escort business even before learning that TSG was examining her connection to the illegal Haley Heston operation. She acknowledged contacting certain clients to “let them know I’m not doing this anymore and I’m moving on with my life. Because they’re gonna try to contact me.” She also told of recently starting therapy to “figure out myself why I’ve done what I’ve done.”After being contacted by Favor Hamilton, one of her clients wrote a TSG reporter offering “some money to prevent [a story] from coming out…I would do anything to protect her.” In a July 2012 online review, the client--who recounted two separate encounters with “Kelly”--enthused, “She is worth every penny. I will go bankrupt before I stop seeing her. I hope no one else goes to see her, because I want her all to myself.” He added, “I never thought I would find anyone in this hobby like her.” Favor Hamilton also claimed to never have considered possible legal complications stemming from her escort work with the Haley Heston firm. Prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas and each of the cities where Favor Hamilton has had “dates” arranged by the escort company, which describes itself as “the premier Boutique Escort Agency of Las Vegas.”Haley Heston’s Private Collection is a cash-only business operating across state lines, an enterprise whose own web site makes a tacit admission of the firm’s criminal nature. In a blog post earlier this year, the escort service assured clients that it would destroy subpoenaed records in the face of a criminal investigation (all to “ensure the highest standards of discretion”). So add obstruction of justice to a list of federal crimes like conspiracy, promoting prostitution, and money laundering that Haley Heston’s shadowy operators appear willing to commit.Favor Hamilton declined to discuss her dealings with the escort service, which earlier this month, at her request, deleted a photo-stocked web page devoted to “Kelly.” Haley Heston, which represents 30 other call girls, also prominently featured “Kelly” on a page with photos of all its “models.” A profile of “Kelly” was also simultaneously deleted from Preferred411.com, which offers listings of escorts nationwide.Also disappearing were all mentions of Favor Hamilton’s alter ego from The Erotic Review (TER), a web site that serves as the Zagat guide of the escort business. Before it was deleted, the “Kelly” profile page on TER included links to 35 separate reviews from “hobbyists” who recounted in explicit details their sexual encounters with Favor Hamilton.As of early this month, “Kelly” was TER’s third-ranked “provider” in Las Vegas, a valuable market distinction that was often highlighted on the Haley Heston web site and in messages posted to the escort firm’s Twitter account. TER members grade a “provider” on both appearance and performance and provide “The Juicy Details” in narratives that are brimming with sex act acronyms (DATY, RCG, DFK) and graphic play-by-play recaps.* * *Favor Hamilton’s year of living dangerously began last December, when, according to the “Kelly” profile she wrote for the Haley Heston web site, “I met Haley with the idea of fulfilling a fantasy and only doing it for the short term.” However, she added, “Well, after my first date, I was hooked, and have been doing my best to visit Las Vegas as often as my schedule allows (I run my own business in my real world life).”The profile of “Kelly” went on to provide other actual details of Favor Hamilton’s life, noting that she was a “workout fanatic” who skied, ran marathons, and had traveled to over 20 countries. A college graduate, “Kelly” noted that “discretion is EXTREMELY important to me, hence you will only see blurred photos of my face on this site. I know this is not ideal, but I hope you understand that it is essential for me.”Photos on the Haley Heston web site often showed “Kelly” posing in lingerie and heels inside different Las Vegas hotel rooms, including a suite at Steve Wynn’s Encore. She is often seen with her back to the camera, though some pictures have been digitally altered to obscure her face. Pointing prospective customers to her glowing online notices, she added, “Hopefully, my TER reviews speak for themselves and you can be confident that you will like what you see when I warmly greet you in person for the first time :).”The profile also included her rates, from $600 for one hour to $6000 for a 24-hour period. “Kelly,” the site noted, provided “Full GFE,” or “girlfriend experience,” an intimate, less mechanical encounter. Additionally, the rate schedule noted, clients would be charged a $300 supplement for a particular sex act.Favor Hamilton declined to reveal how she was introduced to Haley Heston’s Private Collection, the operators of which announced her addition to the escort service’s roster with TER posts describing her as a “high profile” former commercial model and “highly successful business woman.” Accompanying a January 2012 post was a photo of Favor Hamilton that she had taken in a mirror (and which showed half of her face).The Haley Heston staff used subsequent TER posts and Twitter messages to keep clients apprised of their new “under the radar” escort’s 2012 “touring schedule,” listing stops in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Chicago (both downtown and at O’Hare International Airport). A July 2012 post enthused that “Kelly” was “becoming a legend” and congratulated her for her towering TER rankings. An April Twitter post reported that “Kelly” was in Las Vegas for the next three days and had a “FABULOUS suite and wants to try out every piece of furniture in it!”The escort business’s most valuable marketing tools, however, are the “hobbyist” reviews and rankings on the TER web site. The notices for “Kelly” were uniformly exceptional and gave a clear indication that she provided personal details about herself to clients. Many men referred to her “runner’s body,” while one john noted that “we talked about our respective high school and college athletic careers.” Another man wrote that “Kelly” was “an interesting gal with a real job” who “participates in the hobby for the same reason many of us do - it’s exciting and FUN.” He added, “She’s a midwestern gal with a midwestern upbringing and midwestern values.” In July, a Las Vegas client noted that, “She is not a full time provider (as she runs her own business in another state).”Some of Favor Hamilton’s clients were first introduced to her at a January 2012 Haley Heston “meet and greet” held in an opulent hotel suite. The “client appreciation party” was an invitation-only affair attended by many of the escort service’s “models.”Several of Favor Hamilton’s subsequent “tour stops” were scheduled to coincide with her travels for the Disney and Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon running series.For example, in late-August Twitter posts, Haley Heston noted that “Kelly” would be available in Orange County, California on August 30 and 31. Favor Hamilton appeared September 1 at the Disney Exhibit Hall to provide “valuable race and training information” to runners participating in the following day’s Disneyland Half Marathon (which Favor Hamilton ran with her husband).Haley Heston announced in a mid-October TER post that “Kelly” was making her first trip to St. Louis to see clients between October 18-20. Favor Hamilton was in the Missouri city to appear at that weekend’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon festivities.Most recently, the escort service posted on its web site that “Kelly” would be in Las Vegas between November 29 and December 5. Favor Hamilton arrived in town November 29 in advance of the December 2 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon race on the Strip. On November 30 and December 1 she appeared on a “panel of experts” (alongside legendary marathoners Frank Shorter and Rod Dixon) at the sprawling Sands convention center.Favor Hamilton also did one-on-one sessions during which she donned a jog bra and a sparkly miniskirt and politely cajoled attendees at an adjacent health and fitness expo to join her onstage to wildly gyrate to Bruno Mars’s “Locked Out of Heaven.” She punctuated her moves with Rockette-like kicks and appeared to be the only dancer not winded by the vigorous workout (which she reprised at the close of her presentation). Before departing the hall, Favor Hamilton happily chatted with fans and posed for photos.When a reporter approached Favor Hamilton as she headed back to her room at the Venetian, she appeared momentarily taken aback, later explaining that while she was aware that TSG was working on a story, she had expected to receive a phone call, not a face-to-face visit.Over the din of the nearby casino floor, Favor Hamilton admitted that she was “Kelly” and spoke of her concerns that she would be attacked as a “homewrecker.”Appearing resigned that her baffling double life would no longer be a secret, she said, “I want to handle this like an adult.” (28 pages)

'He tried to make me stop': Three-time U.S. Olympian and mother-of-three Suzy Favor-Hamilton reveals her husband knew she was a $600-an-hour Vegas call girl

A three-time U.S. Olympian who was publicity exposed on Thursday as an elite $600-an-hour escort has revealed that her husband knew about her double life and tried to put an end to it.

Suzy Favor-Hamilton, a 44-year-old married mother of three, has been working with one of Las Vegas' top agencies to book 'dates' across cities including Las Vegas, Chicago and Houston.

Despite using the name 'Kelly Lundy' as she advertised her services through Haley Heston's Private Collection, her double life has been revealed after she told clients about her real identity, believing there was an unwritten rule they would not speak out.

Double-life: Suzy Favor-Hamilton, a three-time U.S. Olympian, has reportedly been working as an escort at cities throughout the country for a year. Right, she runs in the 1,500 meters at the 2000 Sydney Olympics

Showing her assets: On her escort profile, Favor-Hamilton explained that discretion was extremely important to her and would blur her fave as a result, but that didn't stop her from showing off her body.

Expensive taste: She wrote on her profile that she likes Herve Leger dresses, Christian Louboutin shoes, and Agent Provocateur shoes

But now at least one of these clients has contacted The Smoking Gun, which in turn has revealed the details of Favor-Hamilton's clandestine career, which she now calls a 'huge mistake.'

Soon after the story appeared online, instantly sparking a furor in the media, Favor-Hamilton took to Twitter to offer her 3,183 followers her side of the story.In one missive, the 44-year-old mother explained that she was initially drawn to escorting ‘because it provided many coping mechanisms for me when I was going through a very challenging time with my marriage and my life.

‘It provided an escape from a life that I was struggling in. It was a double life,’ she wrote.

Going public: Favor-Hamilton took to Twitter, writing a series of posts in which she revealed that her husband knew about her double life, and that her decision to become an escort was fueled by depression

In another, Favor-Hamilton wrote that the reasons behind her decision to turn to a life of prostitution, while seemingly irrational now, ‘made sense at the time’ and were closely related to depression.

‘As crazy as I know it seems, I never thought I would be exposed, therefore never hurting anybody,’ she said in one Twitter post.

The Olympian has refused to be labelled a victim, insisting that she knew what she was doing and taking full responsibility for her actions.

She told The Smoking Gun that her husband was the only one who knew about her moonlighting as a prostitute in cities across the country.

Profile: She reportedly worked under the name 'Kylie' and uploaded provocative pictures (as seen) to her profile on an escort agency website. The profile claims she is bisexual and charges $600 an hour

‘He tried, he tried to get me to stop. He wasn't supportive of this at all,’ Favor Hamilton noted.

The 44-year-old has revealed that she is currently seeking psychological help for her problem. ‘I fully intend to make amends and get back to being a good mother, wife, daughter, and friend,’ she concluded in her most recent post.

Favor-Hamilton entered the public eye competing as a middle distance runner in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics. She went on to record a Nike TV advert, a swimsuit calendar and carry out Disney promo work.

She now works as a motivational speaker and runs a successful realty company in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband Mark, whom she met at college. They have a seven-year-old daughter.But last December, she began working with Haley Heston's agency to escape this routine life, she told the Smoking Gun when it caught up with her.

Betrayal: Favor-Hamilton is married to her college sweetheart, Mark, who tried to make her stop the escort work, she said.

It is not clear how she was introduced to the agency, but she wrote on the website: 'I met Haley with the idea of fulfilling a fantasy and only doing it for the short term.

They also have a seven-year-old daughter together.

'Well, after my first date, I was hooked, and have been doing my best to visit Las Vegas as often as my schedule allows (I run my own business in my real world life).'

She featured in numerous provocative photographs on her online profile on the website - yet always had her face obscured or hidden from the camera.

She explained: 'Discretion is EXTREMELY important to me, hence you will only see blurred photos of my face on this site. I know this is not ideal, but I hope you understand that it is essential for me.'

Favor Hamilton also described herself on the profile - which has now been removed - as a 'workout fanatic' who enjoyed skiing, biking, hiking, running marathons and traveling.

She wrote that she was bisexual so happy to carry out services with couples.'Working with couples requires special skill and I pride myself in my ability to make a woman feel comfortable and not threatened in any way,' she wrote. 'A date with me will NEVER feel rushed.'

She listed her rates as $600 for an hour, $1,000 for two hours, $4,000 for 12 hours and $6,000 for 24 hours, according to the page seen by the Smoking Gun.

And clients are happy with her services, allowing her to be named as The Erotic Review's third-ranked 'provider' in Las Vegas earlier this month.In one July 2012 review, a client wrote: 'She is worth every penny. I will go bankrupt before I stop seeing her. I hope no one else goes to see her, because I want her all to myself.'

Prostitution is illegal in all of the cities where Favor-Hamilton has had 'dates' arranged by Haley Heston. But she said that she had never considered the legal ramifications of her work.

Tumble: At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, she famously fell during the 1500m final, losing out on a medal

Loss: She said she became frustrated during the race that she could not win a medal in her brother's memory. Her brother Dan, pictured, committed suicide the year before the 2000 Olympics

As well as legal problems, she may also face a backlash from her other employers if they learn that she apparently fitted the 'dates' around her demanding work schedule.

Comfortable life: She now works at a realty firm with her husband, Mark

At the end of August, Haley Heston said 'Kelly' would be able to work in Orange County California. On September 1, she appeared at the Disney Exhibit Hall to speak to runners ahead of the Disneyland Half Marathon the next day, which she ran with her husband.

And in another example, the service said she would be in Vegas between November 29 and December 5. She ran the December 2 Rock n' Roll Marathon along the Strip.

After being tracked down to a hotel in Las Vegas, Favor Hamilton eventually admitted she was 'Kelly', and while she called the role 'exciting' she acknowledged she had made an error in judgment.'I take full responsibility for my mistakes,' she said, the Smoking Gun reported. 'I'm not the victim and I'm not going that route. I'm owning up to what I did. I would not blame anybody except myself.'

She added: 'Everybody in this world makes mistakes. I made a huge mistake. Huge.'On Thursday, she tweeted: 'I do not expect people to understand, but the reasons for doing this made sense to me at the time and were very much related to depression.'I cannot emphasize enough how sorry I am to anyone I have hurt as a result of my actions and greatly appreciate the support from family and those closest to me. I fully intend to make amends and get back to being a good mother, wife, daughter, and friend.'

Public eye: Favor Hamilton, pictured at a Stiletto Dash at The Palazzo in Las Vegas last December, said she only planned to work with the agency short term but 'got hooked' after her first date

Brazen: Favor-Hamilton (second left at the event) said she started working as an escort to escape her routine

She said that she had not second guessed telling clients about her real identity and called herself 'too trusting'. She said she expected all clients to honor a silence code.

Of the client Favor Hamilton suspected of going to the media, she said: 'He totally broke all the rules by outing me.'But she explained that she would not be revealing his identity to his loved ones as: 'I don’t want to be like him. Because he is scum. And I will not become scum to make myself feel good.'The revelation will come as no shock to her husband, who already knows of her side-career, she said. He repeatedly tried to make her stop, but she had refused.She added that she had recently started therapy to come to terms with what she had done.

New life: She now works as a motivational speaker and carries out promo work for Disney

The couple does not appear to be suffering any financial hardship, according to court and municipal records.But she has spoken of struggles in the past, including how she suffered from postpartum depression after her daughter's birth in 2005.Her brother Dan also killed himself in 1999 and, when she ran in the 1500-meter final at the Sydney Olympics the following year, she purposefully fell when runners overtook her as she was ashamed she could not win the medal in his memory.

She will show you the time of your life, Kelly is a head turner and she knows just how to knock you off your feet!! With exceptional reviews, she's becoming a legend in Las Vegas and we know you'll love her as much as we do. A former model and a career woman, once behind closed doors she's insatiable. We promise you will not leave unsatisfied.

She's only there for one night, and she does get busy fast so book early if you'd like to meet her!!

Incall/Outcall July 25-26

34B-26-36 5'4" 110lbs 40 yo Blonde hair and blue eyed all American hottie!!! "Omg, this woman should write a book telling all women over 40 how to keep themselves in shape and please a man"

"OMG are you kidding me. The best experience ever!!"

"Kelly was amazing, best provider I have ever been with, Thanks!"

"My evening with Kelly was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her"

"Wow, Kelly was amazing! My fav and best companion ever in Vegas. I never post official reviews, yet 10-10 for me. Just wanted to followup with thanks!!"

* Where do I begin? It's pretty dumb (as well as putting other girls and escort providers in danger of possible exposure) of Suzy to tell customers her real name but maybe it something to do with constant gnawing of guilty subconscious. I can't divulged too much but let me say they don't call Vegas Sin City for nothing. You can indulge in your most perverse sexual fantasy for the right price. Many 'well known role-models', 'successful female entrepreneurs', 'fashion models' 'beauty contestants and even one or two queens' and 'B-list celebs' are up to no good (in puritanical America vernacular) when they are in Vegas for 'modeling', 'seminars', 'business meetings or venture' and 'auditioning for a movie role'. It's pretty rampant among successful middle-aged white females. Unlike their British counterparts who travels in numbers to exotic locations to do the nasty so to speak, many of these women comes from conservative background so extreme discretion is required and support of the spouse willing to be cuckolded or keeping silent on wife weekend trysts. Suzy rates are pretty high which suggest fetish/kinky play was involved. Suzy was partly right about coping mechanisms for her dabbling in high-end prostitution but it's also a way to explore your sexuality outside the suffocating rigidity in conforming to 'normal' society behavior. Oftentimes you're just bored and wanted something to spice up your life. The pressure of living up to people expectation plays a part too.And I don't believe for a second she was new to the escorting biz. Her own words of "you aren’t in that world" and "you don’t know this world" betrays that assumption. Suzy had been at it for a while. In fact I think she sacrificed herself to the media vulture in order to protect her own 'charges'. I could be wrong but she could be a 'mother hen' (madam) making sure no one else gets caught, hurt or entangled in the mess. Suzy girlfriends, work colleagues and female acquaintances will come under close scrutiny by respective loved ones.

Gold and Silver Pawn Shop employee Olivia Black was reportedly fired from the store after nude photos of her surfaced online.

“Well s**t....I was just fired,” the 27-year-old posted on Facebook.

Black then posted a link to a Radar Online article about her dismissal that states her firing came after photos were printed in the National Enquirer that revealed her racy past. Black reportedly worked for the soft-core porn website SuicideGirls.com back in 2008 before she started working at the pawn shop about a year ago.

But it seems she has no hard feelings toward her former coworkers.

“Nay, sadly this is not a joke....I no longer work for Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, it has been a whirlwind of a year, and now I must move on,” she wrote on Facebook. “Just as simple as downsizing. It is of no fault of the guys. I still adore my bosses fully!!!”

Wednesday it seemed as though she was moving on after she tweeted, “The tear[s] have dried and the smiles have returned, I'm fortunate to have worked for ‘Pawn Stars’ at all."

Now, it seems she is backtracking.

"I wanted to take the time to let everyone know, I posted the links about me being let go because I thought the stories were funny. I am in no way shape or form stating that is the reason I was let go," she posted on Facebook Thursday, according to an E! report. "I hope you all have a glorious day!!!!! Thank you for all of the love and support!"

A-and-E Networks had no comment on Black's dismissal.

Black’s firing is the latest drama for the History Channel show, which reportedly got hit with a $5 million lawsuit earlier this month.

Talent agency Venture IAB made claims in a lawsuit that they signed on to represent the cast of “Pawn Stars” back in 2007 and 2009 and were terminated after the show hit the air. In the suit, posted on The Hollywood Reporter, the agency alleges six months after the show hit the air, two “Pawn Star” executives convinced the cast to end their deal with Venture.

This resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in income, the talent agency claimed.

Should Black have been fired? Let us know what you think on the FOX 411 Facebook page.

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First Look at PICNIC in Performance - Sebastian Stan, Maggie Grace and More!

It's a balmy Labor Day in the American Heartland, and a group of women are preparing for a Picnic... but they'll have to lay a lot on the line before they can lay out the checkered cloths. When a handsome young drifter named Hal (Stan) arrives, his combination of uncouth manners and titillating charm sends the women reeling, especially the beautiful Madge (Grace). When Hal is forced out of town, Madge must decide whether their fleeting encounter is worth changing the course of her life.

PICNIC will run from December 14, 2012 to February 24, 2013 at the American Airlines Theatre (227 West 42nd Street). This will be a limited engagement through February 24, 2013.

Twenty-one year old Franzi Mueller heads the new battalion of German models who made serious inroads at the recent Spring/Summer 2013 collections. Mueller was initially scouted on the streets of Berlin while in high school but held off on pursuing modelling until completion of her studies. With schooling done and dusted, Mueller sent her pictures into mother agency Seeds Model Management and was signed on the spot. In the 15 months since, Mueller has quickly ascended modelling's ladder with her stealth-like runway presence, her striking angular features, and a chameleon-like quality in front of the camera's lens. Mueller debuted at the Fall/Winter collections in February 2012 and landed on Inoubliable Model Army's List of Top Ten Newcomers for the season, ticking all the right boxes with appearances at Calvin Klein, Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Givenchy, and Louis Vuitton. Mueller's runway traction converted into editorial gold via appearances in a diverse range of publications including Dazed and Confused, i-D, W Magazine, Interview, and the German and Italian editions of Vogue. Tell us a bit about your childhood.I had a great childhood! My parents built a house when I was six with a small swimming pool in the summer :) I grew up with my older brother which was actually really cool, because I always had someone to protect me. We live in the suburbs of Berlin, so we've got a lot of forest around and some small lakes, which is perfect if you are a child. There is a lot space to play with other children and hang around. I've got a really strong relationship with my family!How were you discovered?Actually there were a lot of people who asked me to model and so on… But I was always too shy to start and I wanted to finish school. So in the end I sent an e-mail to seeDS model agency in Berlin (my mother agency) after I finished my exams and suddenly they took me on and now I'm a model! It happened very quickly!What are the biggest misconceptions about models and the modelling industry in general?Well, I think there are a lot of misconceptions with the first being that all models are anorexic and starve themselves. The only thing I can say is - being skinny doesn't necessarily mean you are sick. None of my friends has an eating disorder! Of course, we have to take care of our bodies and measurements, but girls are doing this by doing sports and trying to eat healthy. In the end, this is the only thing we have to do - taking care about mind and body. Another misconception is that a model's life is so fancy. All in all, it involves a lot of waiting, flying, being alone in hotel rooms and tough work.

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Irish model Tiffany Stanley’s Playboy shoot ambitions

By AOIFE BANNON

GORGEOUS model Tiffany Stanley has told how she’d love to follow in Rosanna Davison’s footsteps with a classy Playboy shoot.

The blonde bombshell, 24, was impressed by the former Miss World’s tasteful topless snaps for the German edition of the lads’ mag. And while Kildare babe Tiffany had previously ruled out flashing the flesh, she’s now open to the idea of posing for the men’s glossy.

She said: “I now wouldn’t rule out doing Playboy or something like that. When I was younger I always said I’d never do it. “But Rosanna’s pictures were so classy. I think the female form is really beautiful and we should celebrate our bodies. I’d consider it in the future, but only if it was done the right way. I wouldn’t want to do tacky pictures.”Tiffany shows off her killer curves in these sexy Santa-style pictures, which have earned her hordes of male fans. But she admitted that there can be a downside to the attention she gets on the internet and especially Facebook.She said: “It’s a weekly occurrence that I’d get something strange. I had a guy recently who sent me a message saying, ‘I’m in your house.’ I had uploaded a picture and accidentally left the Facebook location setting on.“It was very creepy. I was terrified. The internet is a mecca for bullying and stalking. The security needs to be changed. The location setting is definitely a step too far.

“With Facebook, anyone at all can send you a private message, you don’t have to be friends.“There are also lots of nice people who get in touch but there can be strange ones too.”As well as her modelling career, Tiffany has recently been studying to become a personal trainer. She also has her eye on a possible move to Los Angeles for work, where her uncle, film director Kevin Connor, is based.She said: “I’m definitely going to go to LA next year. The reason I didn’t go last year was because my uncle was away filming in Budapest and I’d like to stay with him when I go over.

“I’d love to do some presenting there and there’s also a big market for my kind of commercial modelling over there too.“I need to get my ass in gear and go over. It’ll be a lot of fun to spend time living in Hollywood.”For the New Year Tiffany has launched a 2013 calendar, available from her website tiffanystanley.net on December 31.

Miss Kildare 2010 Tiffany Stanley is one of Ireland's most popular models. Having starred in hit reality TV show ICA Bootcamp, RTE's Republic of Telly, Expose and Ireland am, Tiffany is regularily featured in the Irish Sun, Mirror and Star amongst others. She is currently signed to leading agency AR Models and has featured in the Hallmark movie 'Honeymoon for One' featuring Nicolette Sheridan. One of the most recognisable blondes in Irish media, Tiffany has shot campaigns and photocalls for all the major brands, from Kitkat to Sony Playstation and more. * Irish girls are smart, sexy, often blunt and has bad taste in men but the inconsistent statements boggles the mind to say least when it comes to sex/nudity. Must be the side-effects of repressive Irish-Catholic upbringing. Here is Ms. Stanley previous stance on nude modeling:

She is planning a move to L.A so the high possibility of Tiffany appearing in Playboy is certainly high. But American edition demands full-frontal.That pretty much rules out Irish lass hoping for tasteful topless shots.

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Nadia Cho's UC sex column? Whatever.

Nellie Bowles

UC Berkeley student Nadia Cho's Daily Cal column about a campus sex romp in which she sought to have sex in a library, among other haunts, sparked a furor.

After Nadia Cho, a junior at UC Berkeley, wrote in her college newspaper about having sex in the library stacks, her face was plastered on London's Daily Mail and the New York Daily News. A Taiwanese news station produced a two-minute digital animation - liberally interpreted with extra kink - re-creating the campus tryst. One of the first terms that comes up when you search "Nadio Cho" on Google is "sexcapade."

Her reaction to it all? A shrug. "Unless one day I'm going to work for Christians Against Masturbation, I think I'm fine."

At Caffe Strada in Berkeley on a recent weekday morning, the petite Cho - wearing Ugg boots and a white cable-knit sweater - is not what one might expect from the Huffington Post's new sex columnist, a woman who's causing an international brouhaha.

The 20-year-old firebrand doesn't sneak in any lewd comments or dirty jokes and definitely doesn't show much skin. In person, Cho's brand of sex exhibitionism is less raunch-culture, and she sounds more like a health-center brochure - "I'm trying to foster open, sex-positive dialogue" - than the saucy Daily Cal writer who sent international media outlets into a tizzy.

Cho's unwitting international splash started with her final college column, which was about a sex tour on campus with an unidentified male partner. She sought to have loud sex in a variety of haunts, from the library's European Union section to the classrooms of Moffitt and Wurster - which "gives you an idea of how fantastic it would be if your hot (graduate student instructor) pounded you on the front desk every time you forgot to turn in a homework assignment."

Nonchalant

In an era where educators and HR representatives constantly caution young people to monitor their Google history and Facebook tags, Cho has shown remarkable nonchalance.

"Having sex in the library is just not that controversial. I mean, like, who doesn't have sex on campus?" she says. "In the context of Berkeley, this is not one of the craziest things. It's just like everyone is so worried about what's on Facebook or what's on Google, and I'm just not really that concerned. I think it's generational."

After applying to the Daily Cal last summer, Cho was thrilled to be chosen as the newspaper's "Sex on Tuesdays" columnist for the fall semester. Her columns - on threesomes, bisexuality and race - didn't generate major attention on campus. The media storm came only after her farewell installment - and from afar.

The Daily Mail wrote: "Cho writes that she and an unnamed male student started their romp in Berkeley's library, Main Stacks, the day before Thanksgiving when the campus was 'empty.' "The New York Daily News recounted, breathlessly: "They almost got caught twice when two people walked past."The Taiwanese news animation added multiple Cal-T-shirt-clad partners (there was only one man in the story) and sex props (there were none, according to Cho). Cho was confused, even somewhat amused, about the sudden attention - her article had been out on campus for more than a week, and she'd gotten few e-mails from students about it.Yet although most of the online barbs against her have come from foreign countries, there has been no shortage of criticism in the comments section of the Daily Cal's website:"My biggest problem with this column is that it isn't actually a column about sex; it's a column about Nadia Cho.""She is not a journalist, she's an exhibitionist.""I know you would like your sex life to be more exciting, but do you know what is also exciting? Getting to work and thinking, 'There won't be people f- in the library today.' Now that is liberating."

Playful, exhibitionist

Throughout the semester, Cho's column was at times playfully exhibitionist and occasionally political. Her writing treated sex in the kind of matter-of-fact way that someone raised with "Our Bodies, Ourselves" would.

"There isn't anything unnatural or anything to be ashamed of in watching porn," she wrote in September. "Whenever I have convenient breaks in my schedule, I'll come home after class, eat a snack, watch some porn, rub one out and go back to campus."

When she writes about threesomes, she cautions that no one should feel "self-conscious" if they're left out for a few minutes and that there's proper etiquette for breakfast (the couple should treat the guest). She wrote one column about Mitt Romney's plans to defund Planned Parenthood (Cho did not think this was a good idea). Her entire Oct. 2 column was, simply, about being sex-positive. She uses terms like vagina-tarian and procras-turbation.

Born and raised in Hawaii, Cho identifies as a bisexual woman of color. She declined to provide details about her parents, other than to say that she hasn't revealed to them yet that she's been writing sex columns. She does suspect, though, that her father has heard about her columns by now.

"Because, you know, he reads the news," she says. "I'm not sure any parent expects this. But I mean, what can you do? I just don't talk to my parents about sex."

Psychology major

A psychology major, Cho wants to go into academic research. She works part time at a campus cafe and has never considered writing a career option.

"I don't want to be a sex columnist for my whole life. It has a time and a place," she says. "I don't regret publishing the piece. I intended to do it. I don't really mind that people know I'm having sex. And who cares if it's online - what isn't?"

Cho is mostly concerned that this whole thing happened during a busy study time.

"It probably will stay on my Google forever. I can't wait till I'm like 30 and 40 and can be like, remember that one finals week when this f- happened to me and I was like 20?"

But for today, Cho's just worrying about her biology exam.

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Miss Universe 2012 Is Crowned, To The Interest of Approximately Zero People

The 61st annual Miss Universe pageant was held last night in Las Vegas, and Thank God. Without the Miss Universe pageant, the world would never have a truly unbiased answer to the age-old question: Which country has the best T-and-A? This year, the answer is America. The winner was Olivia Culpa, a 20-year old, non-transgender, college student from Rhode Island.At first, it may seem suspicious that a competition being held in America, with predominantly American judges, and owned by an American and a U.S.-based corporation, would crown an American winner (one of the judges is even a former Miss Rhode Island, just like this year’s winner), but rest assured, Donald Trump says that it’s fair … and that’s all the proof anyone should need.

The pageant, which was hosted by Bravo’s Andy Cohen and E!’s Giuliana Rancic, and judged by “celebrities,” including Cee Lo Green, Iron Chef Morimoto, and Kardashian baby daddy and all-around dickhead, Scott Disick, featured 89 plastic-faced beauties proudly representing their home countries.

In the true spirit of democracy, home viewers were encouraged to vote for their favorite contestant during the semi-final round, despite the fact that their votes didn’t actually impact the judge’s final scoring. It’s just fun to feel involved!The contestents, who must be at least 18 years of age and under 27, having never been married or had children in order to be eligible for the pageant, arrived in Las Vegas two weeks prior to the actual competition … not to perform any specific pageant duties, but primarily as a test of whether they could manage two weeks in Vegas without getting married or pregnant. (Few can.)

In the days leading up to the pageant, cameras captured the lovely contestents they had various adventures around Sin City, most notably playing a hilarious prank on a few unsuspecting hotel guests. For the prank, guests checking into Planet Hollywood, where the pageant was held, were told that there was a mix-up with their reservations and, to atone for the error, they were being upgraded to a suite. When they arrived at the suite, they were shocked to find it filled with dozens of bikini-clad pranksters in pageant sashes.

As with most aspects of the pageant, it was pretty forced and painful to watch. One of the surprised guests was a lone man and he seemed pretty gung-ho. The others just seemed confused and kind of annoyed … especially the dowdy middle-aged women who appeared to be on vacation with her husband and not terribly pleased to have him surrounded by a gaggle of nearly-naked beauty queens.

Overall, the pageant itself was pretty boring and largely unwatchable … as is the case every year … with awkward dance routines, blank-eyed questions-and-answers, and barely-contained fury by the losers.

Highlights from the live show include a couple of small stumbles, even by the eventual winner, though unfortunately no one actually fell down; Donald Trump dressed as a horrible, nightmare-inducing Santa Claus; and Miss Venezuela’s extremely nutty response to an interview question, which was clearly the combined result of nerves, speaking in English instead of her native tongue, and general stupidity.

Hopefully the losers don’t drown their sorrow in the Las Vegas gutters. Each one of them was lovely and, in the eyes of porn producers everywhere, they’re all winners.

The “Fifty Shades” books topped bestseller lists and have inspired everything from themed cupcakes for parties to shirts and plans for a movie. This “Fifty Shades of Grey” phenomenon has brought discussion of kink, particularly BDSM, into mainstream society. Kink refers to sexual activities that fall outside of the norm, which can vary greatly from person to person. BDSM typically stands for Bondage, Discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadism and Masochism.

Other forms of sexuality that are viewed outside of the norm have also made their way into mainstream society by way of the arts. Michael Fassbender starred in “Shame,” a movie about sex addiction rated NC-17, which included scenes involving three partners. While the NC-17 rating prevented the film from having large audiences, Fassbender gained national attention for his character when he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Another critically acclaimed film, “The Sessions,” hitting theaters now, sheds light on sexual surrogacy. The film is based on a true story. Other movies like “The Paperboy,” “The Master,” “On the Road” and “Rust and Bone” serve as additional examples where varying aspects of sexuality and kink have been portrayed on the big screen.

Viewers of some of these movies and readers of “Fifty Shades of Grey” are likely to have had their interest in BDSM piqued. When it comes to getting involved in kink or BDSM, however, there are several areas that you and your partner(s) should discuss. The most important are information, consent, and safety. Some beneficial books include Dossie Eaton and Janet Hardy’s “The New Topping Book” or “The New Bottoming Book.” Reading books, blogs and Web sites with a critical eye or attending workshops at local sex positive stores such as Sexploratorium in Philadelphia can satisfy some sexuality education needs. Furthermore, due to the popularity of “Fifty Shades,” many locations are also offering classes specifically on BDSM techniques.

Before entering this new world, you should absolutely talk with your partner(s) about what you are willing to do and not willing to do, and come up with safe words. For some people the safe words are the colors of a stoplight. Yellow typically means that a break is needed; one of the partners is feeling uncomfortable. Red means to immediately stop the action that is taking place.

It is best to go at your own pace, enjoy yourself, and to make sure that you have a clear agreement with your partner about what will and will not happen. Safety is also key. Using safer sex practices and not exploring limits while under influence of alcohol or drugs is also important. Why? Because our judgment of what is or is not good for us may be compromised.

While general awareness of kink has grown due to characters in popular books, movies, and even television shows, it’s important to take time to really educate yourself about the topic before giving it a try.

Victoria Hummel is a second-year master’s degree student at Widener University who is enrolled in the dual MSW/MEd in Human Sexuality Program. The “Sexuality Matters” column runs the third Wednesday of every month.

The common myth floating around out there for actors is that as soon as you finish your training, you need an agent. And the next step is that he/she will get you auditions for all those yummy, high-paying starring roles in films, Broadway shows, and primetime TV series. Of course you'll be brilliant, book the jobs, become famous, and there you are! Most actors expect that this is how it will happen or in stages: supporting roles first and then starring roles. But the agent is on the checklist. You expect it. Your parents (who paid the $100,000 for your theater training) expect it.

But, it's just NOT how the business works!

And you are doing yourself a disservice by stressing out trying to find an agent instead of enjoying the PROCESS of creating your career.

The first step after training and getting great tools is NOT getting an agent. It's learning how the business really works. Find out which actors get those top roles and why and how you fit into the system. What is your niche, brand, and type?

The fact that so many actors have the wrong information is a testament to schools teaching only acting technique, dramatic literature, history of theater, and other intellectual courses, not the reality of an acting career. I’ve guest lectured on marketing at top schools for MFA candidates, and no one had a clue!

The fact that so many actors have the wrong information is why so many businesses make millions selling them "pay-to-meets," seminars, and workshops to "meet and audition" for the industry without sufficient screening, prepping, and the truth, i.e. "You aren't ready, yet!"

The wrong information costs actors valuable time, energy, emotional stress, and resources pursuing the wrong thing: an agent who doesn't want or need a newbie. They have plenty of actors in every type and range who have more experience, credits, training, and who already make money.

Yes, eventually you need an agent. But if you are just a few years out of university, there's a valuable interim time where you need to just audition. Learn how to book. Go through the process of actually working in a play, a student film, a commercial shoot. Just doing the work.

In other professions, this would be called an internship. No medical student takes on patients and sets up a practice right out of school. Would you trust a recent graduate from medical school to operate on your heart or brain? Not likely!

First, they need 2-3 years as an intern, then a 2-4 year residency at a hospital specializing in their field before they are qualified to practice!

So why would a young actor, in their 20's, think they are "there" when they graduate? They're trained but don't have the experience to be called "professional."

There are exceptions. Some major films and TV series require actors in their teens or early twenties to depict teens. Some young actors are ready. Some started their careers at 10 or 12 years old, like Natalie Portman or Jodie Foster, and are consummate pros by the time they're 16. They learn quickly on the set. Many times the network will hire a coach for young actors because although they look great on camera, they're not "up-to- speed." They either learn quickly or get fired.

Take the interim time to intern, even for a month or two at a casting director's office or a talent agency. It's a great way to learn the reality and perhaps get your first agent!

This time is perfect for getting jobs, building credits, developing contacts, and experiencing what it's like on set.

If, in that time, you book a major job, great! The agents will literally come out of the woodwork. They will find YOU!

People hire people they know, like, and trust, not a stranger in a cold audition!

As you build your resume, you build confidence and a certain style. You discover your brand and what you do best. There's nothing worse than a pretty young face with nothing behind it. The more credits you have, the more you'll be taken seriously. It's not about your audition!

Finally, think of your career as a long haul. It's not a short-term deal. It's your life! It's not over if you don't have an agent in a year or two. Ignore the paths of your classmates and friends; everyone gets there in their own time.

A top agent who signs you in the early days of your career can also DROP you! And I've seen this happen often. A young actor gets a small part in a major film with stars and gets signed to a celebrity agency, such as William Morris Endeavor or Creative Artists Agency. They're riding high, and six months later, the film is forgotten, no new film or bookings have come up, and the agency drops you. Your 15 minutes of glory are over and you're back on the street looking for a showcase and a new agent. Ouch!

Take the time to enjoy being 19, 22, 25 or whatever. Enjoy your life, your training, your marketing efforts, your auditions, the friends you meet, and the work that comes your way and then move on. Without the stress of worrying that you are behind schedule from your expectations, you'll have a lot more energy to enjoy the process!

As the founder and executive director of The Actors's Market, Gwyn Gilliss provides free monthly info seminars, agent/casting director interview tele-seminars, weekly marketing tips, as well as many coaching programs to help actors break into both the NY and L.A. industries. Gwyn has tremendous success with her private career coaching clients. More than 90 percent get agent representation launching their careers with performances in feature films, Broadway productions, and Emmy-award-winning primetime TV series, such as "The Good Wife," "White Collar," "Grey's Anatomy," "NCIS," "House," "Law and Order," "30 Rock," "Criminal Minds."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Ed Templeton on taboos In the first column on porn, sex and art's intersections, Isabella Burley asks how once-shocking photos of teenagers snogging play in the age of streaming smut.

In 1994, Ed Templeton began documenting teenagers kissing. In these voyeuristic snapshots he captured the intimate and awkward moments of lustful adolescence - the flashes of tongues, the semi-open mouths and the wondering of hands. It was pre-mainstream internet, and before an entire generation of youth began documenting their lives online. Each kiss is unveiled through a series of intimate and confrontational details – something Templeton describes as wanting to reveal “the utter lust oozing from the couple.” But today, is there still a taboo that surrounds teenagers and their vigorous public face-sucking? “Kissing is the only acceptable form of public sex,” he answers. “Public spaces are filled with couples engaged in deep heavy-petting, they are lost in passion, and oblivious to outsiders.”

In these works, Templeton prescribes us with the role of peeping toms, voyeurs of a fleeting moment of erotic impulse. “There is a certain sexiness to the images,” he continues, “but I think the awkwardness of those teenage years is also an endless source of interest. We all went through it.” What drives Templeton's role as “the sado-voyeurist” is the importance he places on the realm of public space. By exposing these private moments within their public surroundings, he extends our engagement with a everyday act and throws perversion into the mix. “I loved the mini-theatre that is a public kiss,” he explains. “In Spain, for instance, many multi-generational families live together in small apartments and therefore the young couples have no place to do their kissing but outside in the plazas, or on the public benches.”

Today, an entire generation of teenagers live out their lives in a virtual realm, posting their own impulsive images of lip locking online. As with most things, sex is, and will always be part of our online experience. “With what the internet has to offer, hand printed photographs of kids kissing is the equivalent of a Norman Rockwell painting,” Templeton jokes. “At the click of a button a teenage girl can change her life by texting a nude photo of herself to a boy, who then texts it to all his friends.

What is unusual about this body of work, is that they were only exhibited for the first time last year - despite many of the works being made almost two decades earlier. They were displayed at The Half Gallery in New York, where the exhibition coincided with the release of Templeton's photo book Teenage Kissers, a publication that quickly became a cult item. “They barley raised an eyebrow,” he exclaims, and in a sense the works were placed in a different context to which they were made. Shown at a time where the internet has shaped our encounters of sex and re-defined the notion of what can be considered 'taboo'.

Things were very different when Templeton had his first photo exhibition in 1998, where he exhibited a nude image of his wife Deanna laying on the carpet with a drip of semen coming from between her legs. “That photo caused a serious uproar from some of the people who ran the space,” he tells me. “It was seen as a base attempt to shock. We argued and shed tears over that being shown, and ever since it has been part of what defines my photography. Many people can’t see past the “nude photos of his wife” aspect. But that was then, I think less and less are images like that seen as anything controversial. Terry Richardson is a household name, and people become famous for leaking sex tapes. Who cares what some stupid artist is doing with his wife of 20 years?”

Isabella Burley is a London-based writer. Each month she will discuss how the work of one artist has been shaped by sex, porn and the internet. Ed Templeton: Memory Foam runs from 12 January 2013 – 16 February 2013, at Roberts and Tilton, California.

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Naked Calendar Debate:Is It 'Tacky' Or Noble For Students To Strip For Charity?

A student who featured in a charity naked calendar has hit out at claims the publications are tacky and damaging to the feminist cause, saying critics are "grossly unfair" to single out females.

Hettie Reed is a student at Warwick University who starred in the women's rowing club's first naked calendar. Proceeds from the calendar, which was organised by Reed and fellow student Frankie Salzano, will go to Macmillan Cancer, a charity close to several of the girls' hearts.

Reed told the Huffington Post UK she felt it was clear her club's calendar was "not about being part of some kind of watered down pornography".

"The negative comments that we most commonly hear are that by being in a naked calendar 'girls are selling their bodies' and that we're making it acceptable for women to be used as sex toys," she said.

"These naked calendars do make money for some fantastic charities and so what really is the harm in them?"

Layla Haidrani, a student at Kent University and self-described commentator on feminist issues, argues the majority of women who do pose naked are doing so in an attempt to "gain notoriety".

"Groups of women posing semi-naked on a field with sticks doesn't sound a fundraising initiative for charity, it just sounds tacky," she wrote in a blog for HuffPost UK. "Although many argue that it is purely for fundraising purposes, in my own university sports team, the majority of women who participated were not made aware and did not even seek to find out which charities were being helped.

"Rather, they just view it as an opportunity to strip and attempt to gain notoriety with friends and family both back home and on campus."

And Haidrani adds the issue doesn't end with the calendars: "I can't help but feel that women are just victims in the 'liberation game'.

"As opposed to being liberated by posing semi-naked, they are in fact just helping women to be perpetually viewed as sex objects, something to be 'bought', 'sold' and then tossed away once the Christmas period is over.

"Women instead of helping themselves have continued to hinder progress. Why aren't women allowing themselves to be proud to show off their mental capacity such as academic ability but have chosen the route of posing naked?

"I can understand the appeal of women aspiring to pose topless in FHM for the cash incentives and the promise of celebrity with the added perks of perhaps a reality television show and a sleazy premiership footballer boyfriend, but when you are being hung up in a stranger's living room in just your pants, who is ultimately winning?"

Kent University student, Layla Haidrani has described the calendar as ‘tacky’ and as a set back to feminism

Reed, however, is critical of those eager to point the finger at students, especially females.

"It's grossly unfair," she says. "Our men's calendar has received none of this kind of attention.

"It is much easier for a woman to be labelled a 'slut' than a man and this attitude has seemingly filtered down into the naked calendar market.

"The whole concept of a naked calendar is to raise money for worthy and meaningful charities through a bit of harmless nudity and I do think it is really sad that there are people out there who are willing to criticise and insult these efforts."

Both Warwick's women's and men's rowing club calendars were photographed in black and white, which Reed says she thinks "gives off a professional and artistic vibe".

"Our poses were carefully thought out in order to reveal just enough of ourselves but not too much.

"Most people are really supportive of the charity we have chosen and lot's of people have commented about how brave we are as we tried to do most of our calendar totally nude.

"All the girls had a few doubts," Reed admits. "I know a few of the girls were worried that it may affect their employability and that it may come back and 'bite them in the arse' (for want of a better phrase) years down the line.

"Everyone was slightly concerned at what their family may think of it and I was personally slightly worried to show my Dad just what I'd been up to at uni this term!"

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Inspirational model's legacy

December 13, 2012 | Jackie Quist | Today Tonight

At just 24 years of age former model Lisa Maree O'Hara has been struck down by a rare disease and knows she only has weeks left to live.

She has every right to feel cheated and to be bitter, but instead she's using the time she has left to help others.

Lisa Maree is a stunning, statuesque model and a true inspiration. Having already beaten depression and an eating disorder, Lisa Maree is now living with terminal cancer.

"It's called adenoid cystic carcinoma, it is very rare – there are only three or four people in Australia that have it," she said.

Diagnosed in April last year, the disease has spread like wildfire through her body. Lisa Maree and her new husband Mani are now making the most of what will be their final weeks together.

"I know that I'm dying, I know that it is coming because I can feel it," she said.

"I got told by the Royal Melbourne a month ago they didn't think I was going to make Christmas - that was a big shock. But then again I think I'm going to make Christmas."

In her final stages of life, this extraordinary young woman has embarked on a new career as a motivational speaker.

"It's always something that I wanted - my dream was to inspire people to change their lives," she said.

Her father Shane says "she's very positive, very strong. I don't know how she actually does that sort of thing but I'm very proud of her."

Lisa Maree's heartbroken mother, Carmel, says "she was a very fit personal trainer, doesn't drink, doesn't smoke and each day that goes on she's stronger and stronger - but she's getting worse and worse."

Lisa Maree has over 100 tumours in her lungs, but even those haven't held her back.

A month ago she managed to walk down the aisle to marry the love of her life.

"I was always going to marry her, I so wanted to make sure that she had that whole day and got to have the whole planning and the bridesmaids and all the rest of it," Mani said.

She even managed one last modelling shoot, proudly displaying her many surgical scars.

"Right now while I'm here, I'm going to be happy," Lisa Maree said.

"No matter what you're going through you've still got a life to live.

It's a message not lost on siblings Melissa and Brendan.

"I couldn't think of anyone else in her position to accomplish as much as she has," Brendan said.

And Melissa agrees. "Everything she's ever said she wanted to do she's done."

Determined to leave a final legacy, Lisa Maree is gearing up for a public goodbye this Sunday.

"People need to understand that they can do anything, every single day is a new day. I'm still giving that gift of a smile, giving it to every single person in the world," she said.

"I have to think about the positives, about what I have now and beautiful moments."

Lisa-Maree O'Hara - Her Cancer Story

This girl is beautiful --inside and out -- but she has a serious illness. Lisa-Maree is fighting Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma --an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer - and it may take her life.

At 24, can you imagine dealing with news like this? What about the impact it would have on your family, your friends, and your partner? Lisa's courage and her amazing determination to empower others to live life to the fullest will inspire you.Forget your Facebook updates, your party plans, whether or not you can afford that new party dress or outfit...Take 15 minutes out of your day to watch Lisa's story, and think about how you can make a difference.Then go to epsi.com.au and click on the PayPal link at the bottom to make a donation towards the cost of cancer treatment that might not just save Lisa's life -- but the lives of cancer patients in the decades to come.Then pay it forward -- 'Like', share and repost this link with your friends and networks.--ADENOID CYSTIC CARCINOMA (ACC)Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) is a rare form of cancer that accounts for 1 in every 500 new cases per year. ACC generally affects women (62%) more than men (38%) with the median age of those affected being 58 years, which is 10 years younger than that of the average cancer patient. The cause of ACC is not known. ACC is not associated with smoking or alcohol consumption as are some cancers of the lung and the oral cavity. The reasonable explanation is that ACC, like most cancers, is the result of environmental factors that cause normal cells to acquire genetic changes, leading to uncontrolled growth.

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Mr Selfridge: coming this January to ITV

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True Blood's Janina Gavankar Returns To Attack Of The Show

Janina Gavankar from True Blood and The League makes one final appearance on Attack of the Show where she talks to Michael Kosta about what rabid fans can expect in the next season (more nudity? Yay!), how distracting the audience is and life as a geek.There'll be plenty of nudity but Janina will remain clothedin Season 6. Too bad.

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The Ultimate Girls Fail Compilation 2012

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Protest outside Egypts embassy in Stockholm today

The famous Egyptian activist Aliaa Magda Elmahdy protested today outside the Egyptian embassy in Stockholm.Elmahdy protesting against the Egyptian regime by stripping naked outside the embassy.We have not received any notification about it, says Göran Callenvik at police länskommunikationscentral (police county C-and-C).Elmahdy protested, along with the women's rights organization Femen, against the regime for its proposed new constitution.The action was over in a few minutes. The activists stripped naked in the cold and one could read "Mursis apocalypse" and "Sharia is not a constitution.""Protect my rights" written on their bodies- I want the constitution to protect my rights instead of taking them and allow everyone to express their opinions, Elmahdy said.Staff at the Egyptian Embassy at Strandvägen would not comment on the **** protest.Elmahdy became known after publishing a **** photo of herself on one of her blogs. She has described her blogging as "screams against a society of violence, racism, sexism, ****** harassment and hypocrisy."Since then she has been the victim of numerous death threats.

More photo protestsAliaa Magda Elmahdy has also protested against the fact that women are forced to wear the veil. She has been, online, urging men to send in pictures of themselves where they wear the veil.She has also sent out requests for women who want to remove their veils and send in pictures of their faces to be published online.

* That motherfucker Morsi is a snake who took advantage of US good will and Israel appreciation for mediating the peace in recent skirmishes with Palestine by introducing Sharia law inserted into the new 'constitution'. I feel sorry for the young and mostly secular people of the ancient nation. The elders in that country are assholes for Islam the way old white men in US are all mostly in Republican camp and uncomfortable around minorities (and changing face and landscape of America). It's insane we are letting Islamists get away scot free with this Sharia nonsense which doesn't belong in modern civilization. It's not end of the world today as predicted but it will be close with fiscal crisis edging closer, world economy about to take a catastrophic stumble and Middle-East goes off the Islamic deep end. Ms. Elmahdy should be commended for her bravery and showed more balls than typical Muslim man (the ones living in US and Europe) who only come out like a skulking rat if there is a perceived insult on the greatest religion.